Thursday, July 21, 2011

Festus and the Power of Prayer

I think that one of the most amazing things in my life has been the privileges that God has brought my way in the wonderful people I’ve been able to meet.  One such person is a man whom I certainly consider my brother.  He is Nigerian and a tremendous prayer warrior.  There are times when I’ve met people like him and felt so blessed that I can hardly believe it.  Africans have played an immense role in my life and a source or tremendous blessing.  If I had not been a part of our church now I’d have never even met these people much less had the honor of calling them my friends and having them pray life changing prayers over my family and I.  Festus is a man exceptional in a sea of amazing people that I’ve known over the years.  He and his wife and children are amazing.  May God bless them richly!  His daughter Joy took a little time to begin to warm up to us however I have great hope for her and the children of these men and women of God.  Generation next must have someone to put faith in them and keep the door to the kingdom of God open…they are the future.

 

Bringing my family abroad always brings this commitment to mind.  I want to invest in my children and have them meet the amazing people I’ve grown to know and love.  One day I was walking with my youngest daughter in this amazing pasture.  Spending time with my children in places like this has been the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever been able to do.  It’s not all about church meetings.  Sometimes time to just talk to them and walk through the streets of a place so far from what’s familiar is the most priceless treasure ever.  I talk to them about spiritual things and just walk and talk with them.  They learn botany by looking at different plants all over the world .  The wonders of God in nature are a delight we enjoy together.  Seeing this with dear friends and family is a salve to the souland it opens us up to each other to communicate on a very high level…this is what makes us grow strong as a family.  The vital component of God in relationship has born great fruit and I’m eternally thankful for it .  The Tain Way and its marvels left us with our breath taken away at times.  It’s not just the land it’s the awareness of God who after all made all this.  Beyond the economic disaster corrupt government has causedbeyond the disasters and suffering there is on this planet we find that we have only now and each other so we should do all we can with the moments we’ve been given…take nothing for granted…see beauty where you canand testify of every single thing you can see God is doing no matter if you audience understands it or not.  Faith comes by hearing the word of God so I do all I can to see and hear what He has to sayand be thankful for what I’ve got right in front of meknowing that the grateful moments we have today strengthen us for the challenges of tomorrow.  Look for the things to be blessed aboutor this could have been just another pasture and a gate and a rusty old horseshoe.  We don’t know what lies even one second ahead of usbut one thing is sure it’s a better thing to be thankful about what’s in front of us then refuse to see anything good no matter what there is out there.  Pondering these things we came to a glorious view of a rainbow…the very evidence of God’s promise.  Find the beautiful in the ordinary…you’ll never regret the change this brings to personal perspective!